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Cabozantinib (Cabometyx, Exelixis, Inc./Ipsen) improved overall and progression-free survival among previously treated liver cancer patients in the pivotal phase 3 CELESTIAL trial, according to results being presented at the 2018 ASCO-GI Symposium in San Francisco. At the planned second interim analysis…

Repeated vaccination for influenza in older adults reduced the severity of the virus and reduced hospital admissions, according to new research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. A team of Spanish researchers looked at the effect of repeated influenza vaccinations in the current…

Fremanezumab (Teva Pharmaceuticals), an immunotherapy that counteracts a molecule released during migraine, reduced the number of days that chronic migraine sufferers experienced headaches in phase 3 trial results published by the New England Journal of Medicine. The World Health Organization estimates…

Promising new findings in the treatment of plaque psoriasis, oral ulcers, and genital psoriasis have been reported at the 2018 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting in San Diego. Risankizumab Outperforms Stelara More patients with plaque psoriasis treated with risankizumab (AbbVie/ Boehringer…

An estimated one in 10 medical products circulating in low- and middle-income countries is either substandard or falsified, according to new research from the World Health Organization (WHO). This means that people are taking medicines that fail to treat or prevent disease. Not only is this a waste…

The questions: Should CMS increase pay to PCPs for services that they currently provide but are not compensated for, and pay for new services that CMS would like PCPs to perform? Or should CMS pay for demonstration projects that target high-need, high-cost Medicare beneficiaries? CMS’s answer, at least for the time being, is a bit of both.

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) significantly improved recurrence-free survival compared with placebo in a phase 3 trial investigating the anti-PD-1 medication as monotherapy for surgically resected high-risk melanoma. Based on an interim analysis and following review by an Independent Data Monitoring…

Evolocumab (Repatha, Amgen) has become the first PCSK9 inhibitor approved by the FDA to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and coronary revascularizations in adults with established cardiovascular disease. The FDA also approved evolocumab to be used as an adjunct to diet, alone or in combination with other…

Positive results have been announced from the phase 3 PROSPER trial in patients with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The results show that the use of enzalutamide (Xtandi, Astellas Pharma/Pfizer) plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) significantly reduced the risk of developing…

Positive results have been announced from ACHIEVE I (UBR-MD-01), the first of two pivotal phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of Allergan’s orally administered ubrogepant 50 mg and ubrogepant 100 mg compared with placebo in a single migraine attack in adults.…

A new noninvasive stereotactic radiotherapy system (GammaPod, Xcision Medical Systems, LLC) intended for use in treating cancer in breast tissue has received FDA approval. “… Patients will have access to a treatment option that provides greater accuracy in delivering radiation therapy to breast…

A trend that is likely to continue in 2018 is the rise of consumerism and expansion of the consumer-driven marketplace. But investing in this is pricey and in an era of shrinking margins is “better for patients” always “better for business?” The Advisory Board’s Zachary Hafner answers with a resounding “yes!”

Hospitalizations blamed on the flu may be on track for a record in this increasingly challenging flu season, federal officials said Friday, and 16 more pediatric deaths were reported during the week. “This is a very difficult season. The hospitalization rate is the highest we’ve seen,” said…

The flu-related deaths of 22 more children were reported during the week ending February 10, federal officials say, bringing the pediatric toll to 84 for this grim flu season. Nearly 20,000 people have been hospitalized so far, with weeks to go. Several of the childhood deaths occurred weeks earlier…